Slovak Government Advisor Receives €3,000 Monthly from Multiple State Institutions

Miriam Šramová, a communications advisor, receives approximately €3,000 per month from various Slovak state institutions including the Government Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, according to reporting by the SME daily newspaper. Šramová defended the arrangement in an interview, arguing there is no conflict of interest when she conducts interviews with politicians who approve her invoices because she does not consider herself a journalist and claims ethical rules do not apply to her work. The advisor has also provided services to controversial political figures and parties including Marian Kotleba, the far-right former regional governor, as well as the Republika party and the We Are Family (Sme rodina) party. The case highlights questions about potential conflicts of interest in Slovakia's system of government communications contracts, particularly when the same person receives payments from multiple state bodies while simultaneously conducting media work with the officials who authorize those payments.